Platform - Election Protection, Despina (Dee) Belle-Isle (Sunday, September 20, 2026)

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

The Cornerstone of Democracy is a Free and Fair Election: How We Protect the Vote.

Ms Belle-Isle currently serves as Co-Chair of the Election Law and Voter Protection Committee for the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, where she organizes poll observer (Authorized Representative) programs, trains and recruits volunteers, and provides legal support on election-related issues, while liaising with the DNC, DPVA, and voter protection programs across Virginia counties.

She will discuss the current administration threats to undermine free and fair elections and what we can do to protect this fundamental constitutional right.

What a Death Doula Does, Does not Do, and What We Want You to Know (Sunday, October 04, 2026)

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

What a Death Doula Does, Does not Do, and What We Want You to Know

“What does a death doula do?” is the question I hear most often. The simple answer is that we support you as a mortal. We talk openly about death with you and those around you. We help you plan your best dying process. We educate, we listen, we hold hands. Here are what we do not offer: medical care or advice, legal information, burial services, or religious counseling. In our death-denying and avoidant lifestyle it is common to not know much about dying or death. Death doulas wish you took some time to consider your death and how to care for others in your life. We seek to improve life by facing death long before it is imminent.

Bio: Laura Lyster-Mensh, MS, is an American writer who has been founding organizations to solve problems all her life, including three international non-profits. She is the author of four books, and has produced four podcast projects. Laura serves as Death Doula in residence at Historic Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC and is a proud member of the DC Death Collective. She enjoys being old, and doesn’t mind being mortal

This meeting will be in-person only, as our sound system is not able to support Zoom at this time.

Northern Virginia Ethical Society upcoming events

Platform - Election Protection, Despina (Dee) Belle-Isle (Sunday, September 20, 2026)

What a Death Doula Does, Does not Do, and What We Want You to Know (Sunday, October 04, 2026)